Princes Trust and Sefton Education Business Partnership will focus on mentoring students who are about to begin their GCSEs in £145,000 programme. Tony McDonough reports.

Teenagers across the Liverpool city region are being targeted in a £145,000-plus drive to help them reach their “full potential”.

Two organisations – the Princes Trust and Sefton Education Business Partnership – will focus on mentoring students who are about to begin their GCSEs but risk under achieving and falling behind their peers.

This can impact on their future earning potential and career later in life.

It is part of £12m UK-wide Government programme being administered by the Careers & Enterprise Company.

Initially it is distributing £3.5m to 39 mentoring organisations across the country, targeting almost 20,000 students.

Here in the Liverpool city region the Sefton Education Business Partnership will receive £116,322 and the Princes Trust £29,536.

Mark Basnett, managing director for the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Mentoring can have a really beneficial impact not only through practical advice and guidance but also through inspiration and encouragement.

“It is essential to the future of our city region that as many of our young people as possible are enabled to confidently take their next step in education or employment and to realise their potential.”is issue by helping young people get inspired about the world of work.”

The Careers & Enterprise Company also announced that the next round of investment from its careers and enterprise fund is now open for applications.

The Company will invest more than £5m to support those pupils in secondary schools and colleges most in need.

For more information on the Company’s mentoring campaign click here.